When Nissan first announced the Versa, the car looked great in pictures. The target price was said to be about 14 grand here in Canada, and they were planning on filling the car full of techie goodness. My concern was that with all this techie stuff, they would have to skimp on interior materials to make it happen. Then, when the first pre production cars showed up at the Canadian International Autoshow those fears were put to rest. The interior looked like they had shrunken a Maxima. It looked that nice.
Fast forward to the production model. That interior quality has stayed with the car, with fit and finish that is on a par with cars more than twice the price. At all speeds, the cabin is quiet and free of squeeks, rattles or any type of wind noise. Much has been said about the amount of room in the rear seats. They are indeed big enough for an adult to be comfortable. That space does however have it’s trade offs for some drivers. While I’m only 5′ 10″, I am a bit on the rotund side and with the driver’s seat all the way back, I still feel a bit too close to the steering wheel for my comfort. It’s not uncomfortable, the airbag just seems a bit close. All in all though, the well thought out interior looks great and has tons of usable space.
Typical for a Nissan, the stereo sounds great and it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out the controls.
On the road, the drivetrain is quiet and smooth, with more than enough power for regular driving. I’ve never been a big fan of the feel of a CVT transmission, but there is no denying the fact that Nissan has proven the reliabilty of their CVT unit. They have also proven that vehicles with a CVT get great gas mileage and the Versa should be no exception. While it’s not a scientific evaluation, in about 60 km, the fuel gauge didn’t budge.
All in all, the 2007 Nissan Versa is a great little package. With a base price of around $14,000 it’s also an incredible value.
I test drove the Versa in Ohio a couple weeks ago, and I completely agree with your take on it. It’s a great little car. I drove two. One had been special ordered with leather, and other than the fact that the cabin was a little narrow, I felt like I was in a much more expensive luxury car.